1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to sports training aids and more particularly to such a device which can be used in training a tennis player to properly stroke and serve a tennis ball.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is well accepted that to properly hit a tennis ball the player must turn the shoulders and twist the body preparatory to and while executing the tennis stroke. It is also accepted that during the stroke, the wrist should be kept rigid with the drive being accomplished with the arm and shoulders. For proper serving, a straight toss of the ball is also important.
Not only are these factors important for executing a good stroke and a good serve, but failure to so perform can result in painful injuries such as "tennis elbow" (generally caused by wrist or palmar flexion when hitting the ball); rotator cuff strain or tear (generally caused by over-extension of the arm in follow through); and back strain(often caused by improper toss in serving with rapid forced arching of the back in executing the serve).
Tennis training aids which employ wrist or arm bands which are connected by means of a strap to the tennis racquet are described in U.S. Pats. No. 3,858,881 issued Jan. 7, 1975 to Hurwitz; No. 4,216,960 issued June 24, 1980 to Roberts; and No. 4,150,821 issued Apr. 24, 1979 to Racz.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,030,732 issued June 21, 1977 to Vincent describes a Harness for the Teaching of Tennis in which the tennis racquet is connected by means of straps to a body harness.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,040,632 issued Aug. 9, 1977 to Pawl describes a wrist band which is attached to the wrist and hand of the user to prevent bending of the wrist in executing tennis or golf strokes.
Various type of training guides for tossing the ball in serving in tennis are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,141,550 issued Feb. 27, 1979 to Denizman; No. 4,180,262 issued Dec. 25, 1979 to Pericles Gabrielidis; and No. 4,034,981 issued July 12, 1977 to Thomas A. Veneziano.
In none of the above devices is there any suggestion of joining the player's wrists together so as to engender the movement of both arams and shoulders together in executing the stroke. Further, there is no suggestion in such prior art of providing a simple thong device which extends from a wrist band and into which the user's middle finger is placed to prevent palmar or wrist flexure as in applicant's device.